Tennessee prison officials: Mistakes happen

Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Derrick Schofield shows attendees a commemorative key to the $208 million Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in 2012. The key was a gift to certain people in attendance following a ribbon cutting. Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Derrick Schofield shows attendees a commemorative key to the $208 million Bledsoe County Correctional Complex in 2012. The key was a gift to certain people in attendance following a ribbon cutting.

By The Tennessean August 26, 2015 1 min read

Tennessee prison officials acknowledged in a letter given to lawmakers Monday that “mistakes in the review of incidents do happen.”

But the state Department of Correction continued to defend the controversial 28-day schedule and largely avoided answering reporters’ questions ahead of a legislative hearing on Thursday.

Department Commissioner Derrick Schofield and at least six other department officials met with state House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Stewart, D-Nashville, and Rep. Mark John Windle, D-Livingston, on Monday. Stewart and Windle had requested Schofield respond to criticism of the state’s scheduling system that some have argued is causing staffing shortages.

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